<p>While everyone celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March, for the community of women in the aviation industry it was the culmination of a week of acclaiming all those who have already made their mark and promoting the industry to all young women seeking a challenging and rewarding career.</p>
<p>The week was led by the Women in Aviation International (WAI) annual conference, held in Florida over three days. Although held in the US, among those gathered were representatives from 31 countries.</p>
<p>This conference had a special element to it as the association’s new CEO, Allison McKay, officially took over the reins from WAI founder Dr Peggy Chabrian, who had led the organisation since its inception in 1990 and helped it to be formally established as a non-profit organisation in 1994. <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/article/women-in-aviation-thoughts-of-a-pioneer/">(Click here</a> for FlightJobs’ interview with Dr Chabrian)</p>
<p><img alt="Allison McKay" src="/getasset/d4a7898d-c53a-47d1-aca5-bf5b922118f8/" /></p>
<p>Commenting on her first conference in her new role, McKay remarked, “I was inspired to meet so many engaging members and corporations that believe in our WAI mission to continue creating and growing programmes to assist with our members’ personal and professional development. Together we can ensure that the aviation industry has the talent needed for a vibrant and sustainable future.</p>
<p>“I’m excited to work with the WAI Board of Directors to advance our mission through initiatives designed to engage, inspire, and educate our current and future workforce,” McKay added.</p>
<p>Epitomising exactly those activities for the next generation was Girls in Aviation Day, during which 250 girls, along with their chaperones, were hosted by more than 100 WAI volunteers at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando. The attendees, whose ages ranged from 8 to 17, were able to visit 20 activity stations and hear about 10 different aviation careers from a career panel. Moreover, they could meet with role models, and simply have fun as they learned about aviation. The older girls in the group also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from colleges which offer aviation courses.</p>
<p>At the beginning of the week, WAI and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announced a new, self-paced Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) tailored to exactly the age group which participated in the Girls in Aviation Day. Once again, the course – which is free – is designed to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals.</p>
<p>As WAI explained, “Students explore aviation terminology, identify the major parts of an aeroplane, describe the flight characteristics of a helicopter, and discuss the goals of space exploration. There are also engaging activities that take these topics to the next level.” The course is to be offered several times throughout the year, enabling young learners worldwide to learn about aviation.</p>
<p>Back at the conference, for those who have already chosen aviation, 151 scholarships were distributed to WAI members at every stage of their careers, for use in academia, lifestyle enhancement and flight training, including type ratings. In total $831,365 in scholarships was awarded this year, which took the total scholarships funding since 1995 to more than $13 million.</p>
<p>The conference also provided the perfect setting for the presentation of major studies carried out collaboratively by the WAI and the University of Nebraska Omaha. WAI worked with Dr Becky Lutte, Associate Professor at the university’s Aviation Institute, on a series of studies to observe where the gaps in employment are for women in aviation. “Together, the study results can be used by aviation companies and organisations globally to guide recruitment and retention strategies of women in their workforce,” WAI noted.</p>
<p>According to WAI, the first study, <em>Women in the Aviation Workforce Report</em>, was completed in late spring 2019 and its findings were augmented with a comprehensive study specifically focusing on recruitment and retention issues of women in aviation.</p>
<p>“Combined, these two surveys tell a story of the number of women in multiple sectors and professions of aviation, what factors will assist in recruiting more women, and what factors influence the retention of women in the industry,” Lutte explained. “The two areas with less than 5% representation of women are maintenance technicians and airline executives.</p>
<p>“The next area with the greatest gap in employment is pilots. Only 5% of airline pilots are female. On a positive note, the total number of female pilots has increased in the last 10 years, but in that decade the increase has been just over 1% to a total of 7.3% of female pilots and we can do better,” added Lutte.</p>
<p>Among the survey’s results were the factors that draw women into aviation. These are:</p>
<p>• a passion for aviation;</p>
<p>• it is perceived as an adventurous profession;</p>
<p>• it is perceived as a fun profession;</p>
<p>• a desire to prove personal abilities, and</p>
<p>• a desire for a challenging career.</p>
<p>Three factors also emerged that negatively influence women in their desire to pursue or remain in aviation. These are:</p>
<p>• the cost of required training/education</p>
<p>• a perceived existence of a “good ole boy” network, and</p>
<p>• a perceived family life impact.</p>
<p>"Workforce development and constructing additional programmes and initiatives to propel women of all ages and backgrounds to follow their own personal aviation dreams are chief among WAI priorities," confirmed WAI CEO Allison McKay. "This valuable research will help us create these programmes and results for our members and the aerospace community.”</p>
<p>“Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report” can be found by clicking <a href="https://www.wai.org/sites/default/files/assets/Membership/women_in_aviation_workforce_2019_rlutte.pdf">here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr />
<p> </p>
<p>During the WAI conference, National Aeronautic Association president, Greg Principato, presented WAI founder Dr Peggy Chabrian with the NAA's Henderson Trophy, awarded each year to “a living individual, group of individuals, or an organization whose vision, leadership or skill made a significant and lasting contribution to the promotion and advancement of aviation and aerospace in the United States.” Principato commented, “She is a visionary leader whose skill and energy have forever changed aviation for the better."</p>
<p><img alt="Peggie" src="/getasset/aaa8f18d-b2aa-4f7d-b866-b798c4aa51c8/" /></p>
<p> </p>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=FJ_job_search"><img alt="Register with Flight Jobs" src="/getasset/a95f9bbd-4d54-40bd-91fb-e090dc9d5295/" /></a></p>
<p>The week was led by the Women in Aviation International (WAI) annual conference, held in Florida over three days. Although held in the US, among those gathered were representatives from 31 countries.</p>
<p>This conference had a special element to it as the association’s new CEO, Allison McKay, officially took over the reins from WAI founder Dr Peggy Chabrian, who had led the organisation since its inception in 1990 and helped it to be formally established as a non-profit organisation in 1994. <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/article/women-in-aviation-thoughts-of-a-pioneer/">(Click here</a> for FlightJobs’ interview with Dr Chabrian)</p>
<p><img alt="Allison McKay" src="/getasset/d4a7898d-c53a-47d1-aca5-bf5b922118f8/" /></p>
<p>Commenting on her first conference in her new role, McKay remarked, “I was inspired to meet so many engaging members and corporations that believe in our WAI mission to continue creating and growing programmes to assist with our members’ personal and professional development. Together we can ensure that the aviation industry has the talent needed for a vibrant and sustainable future.</p>
<p>“I’m excited to work with the WAI Board of Directors to advance our mission through initiatives designed to engage, inspire, and educate our current and future workforce,” McKay added.</p>
<p>Epitomising exactly those activities for the next generation was Girls in Aviation Day, during which 250 girls, along with their chaperones, were hosted by more than 100 WAI volunteers at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando. The attendees, whose ages ranged from 8 to 17, were able to visit 20 activity stations and hear about 10 different aviation careers from a career panel. Moreover, they could meet with role models, and simply have fun as they learned about aviation. The older girls in the group also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from colleges which offer aviation courses.</p>
<p>At the beginning of the week, WAI and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announced a new, self-paced Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) tailored to exactly the age group which participated in the Girls in Aviation Day. Once again, the course – which is free – is designed to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals.</p>
<p>As WAI explained, “Students explore aviation terminology, identify the major parts of an aeroplane, describe the flight characteristics of a helicopter, and discuss the goals of space exploration. There are also engaging activities that take these topics to the next level.” The course is to be offered several times throughout the year, enabling young learners worldwide to learn about aviation.</p>
<p>Back at the conference, for those who have already chosen aviation, 151 scholarships were distributed to WAI members at every stage of their careers, for use in academia, lifestyle enhancement and flight training, including type ratings. In total $831,365 in scholarships was awarded this year, which took the total scholarships funding since 1995 to more than $13 million.</p>
<p>The conference also provided the perfect setting for the presentation of major studies carried out collaboratively by the WAI and the University of Nebraska Omaha. WAI worked with Dr Becky Lutte, Associate Professor at the university’s Aviation Institute, on a series of studies to observe where the gaps in employment are for women in aviation. “Together, the study results can be used by aviation companies and organisations globally to guide recruitment and retention strategies of women in their workforce,” WAI noted.</p>
<p>According to WAI, the first study, <em>Women in the Aviation Workforce Report</em>, was completed in late spring 2019 and its findings were augmented with a comprehensive study specifically focusing on recruitment and retention issues of women in aviation.</p>
<p>“Combined, these two surveys tell a story of the number of women in multiple sectors and professions of aviation, what factors will assist in recruiting more women, and what factors influence the retention of women in the industry,” Lutte explained. “The two areas with less than 5% representation of women are maintenance technicians and airline executives.</p>
<p>“The next area with the greatest gap in employment is pilots. Only 5% of airline pilots are female. On a positive note, the total number of female pilots has increased in the last 10 years, but in that decade the increase has been just over 1% to a total of 7.3% of female pilots and we can do better,” added Lutte.</p>
<p>Among the survey’s results were the factors that draw women into aviation. These are:</p>
<p>• a passion for aviation;</p>
<p>• it is perceived as an adventurous profession;</p>
<p>• it is perceived as a fun profession;</p>
<p>• a desire to prove personal abilities, and</p>
<p>• a desire for a challenging career.</p>
<p>Three factors also emerged that negatively influence women in their desire to pursue or remain in aviation. These are:</p>
<p>• the cost of required training/education</p>
<p>• a perceived existence of a “good ole boy” network, and</p>
<p>• a perceived family life impact.</p>
<p>"Workforce development and constructing additional programmes and initiatives to propel women of all ages and backgrounds to follow their own personal aviation dreams are chief among WAI priorities," confirmed WAI CEO Allison McKay. "This valuable research will help us create these programmes and results for our members and the aerospace community.”</p>
<p>“Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report” can be found by clicking <a href="https://www.wai.org/sites/default/files/assets/Membership/women_in_aviation_workforce_2019_rlutte.pdf">here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr />
<p> </p>
<p>During the WAI conference, National Aeronautic Association president, Greg Principato, presented WAI founder Dr Peggy Chabrian with the NAA's Henderson Trophy, awarded each year to “a living individual, group of individuals, or an organization whose vision, leadership or skill made a significant and lasting contribution to the promotion and advancement of aviation and aerospace in the United States.” Principato commented, “She is a visionary leader whose skill and energy have forever changed aviation for the better."</p>
<p><img alt="Peggie" src="/getasset/aaa8f18d-b2aa-4f7d-b866-b798c4aa51c8/" /></p>
<p> </p>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=FJ_job_search"><img alt="Register with Flight Jobs" src="/getasset/a95f9bbd-4d54-40bd-91fb-e090dc9d5295/" /></a></p>